Yu Bai’s story begins with her brutal death at the hands of her ex-boyfriend Zhao Jia and her enemy Zhou Anan. After being gang-raped and left to die in a cold factory, she learns that her entire family has been destroyed: her mother was forced to drink pesticide, her five brothers all met tragic ends—one disabled and killed, one suicide, one car accident, one wrongful death in prison, and the youngest driven mad by bullying. Overwhelmed by hatred, Yu Bai dies with only one wish: revenge. But instead of oblivion, she wakes up three days earlier, reborn into her past body. Three days after rebirth, while clutching her father’s only relic—a white jade peace charm—Yu Bai is suddenly transported into a strange Siheyuan courtyard. The courtyard has two wooden gates, one east and one west, each hung with red lanterns bearing the characters “Pawnshop.” Before she can understand, the scene shifts to dusk, the east gate opens, and a man named Han Yi appears. Han Yi is an apocalypse survivor, the former second-in-command of a base betrayed by his father-in-law and an illegitimate son. His wife was torn apart by zombies in a trap, and he and his remaining squad are hunted and starving. Seeing the pawnshop, he begs to exchange something for food. He offers a few Level 1 crystal cores, which Yu Bai accepts. She gives him a large amount of food—rice, meat, vegetables, instant noodles—far more than any normal exchange would allow. Han Yi leaves through the east gate, and when he returns to his apocalyptic world, he finds that the key he was given has turned into a faint mark on his wrist, and his teammates believe he awakened a spatial ability. He keeps the secret of the pawnshop as his last trump card.Returning to reality, Yu Bai investigates the peace charm and realizes its value. She recalls her past life: Zhao Jia and Zhou Anan conspired to steal everything from her. Zhao Jia lied that his mother was ill, took all her savings, and then tricked her into selling the peace charm for more money. The thirty thousand she gave him was used by Zhao Jia to pursue Zhou Anan, the CEO’s daughter. When Yu Bai discovered the truth and tried to get her money back, she was ruined by both of them. In this life, she will not repeat those mistakes. She immediately quits her job and takes a bus back to her hometown. At home, she meets her mother Zhou Fengxia and her elder brother Yu Sheng, whose leg was crippled in a construction accident years ago. Over dinner, Yu Bai confesses that her return is due to a nightmare: she dreamed of her father, who warned her that their family would face disaster unless they united, and he gave her a space that can connect to another world. To prove it, she reveals the peace charm mark behind her ear and produces a genuine crystal core from the apocalypse. Yu Sheng tests the crystal core and instantly feels its power: his leg warms, his vision sharpens, and years of cold pain are driven away. The crystal core shrinks slightly, confirming its effect. Yu Bai explains that this space—the pawnshop—can trade with an apocalypse world. She has already made one transaction and obtained crystal cores and other valuables. She intends to use this power to save her family, cure her brother’s leg, and build enough strength to counter the threats from Zhao Jia and the Zhou family. Yu Sheng and Zhou Fengxia are stunned but accept the truth. They realize that this secret must be guarded, but Yu Bai insists that only by working together can they change their fate. The family is now united, and Yu Bai sets her sights on the future: using the pawnshop to trade food and supplies from her world for powerful items from the apocalypse, growing strong enough to protect everyone and exact vengeance on those who destroyed them in her past life.
